COTABATO CITY: The world's first-ever period tracker that features girl-led design and gamified approach for Bangsamoro women and girls was launched Thursday, March 16, in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with support from various development partners. The launched mobile application called 'Oky Philippines' was designed to inform users about menstruation and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Related Rights (SRHR). Since the app was developed to cater to BARMM constituents, it comes with Islamic content. It has been localized in the Bangsamoro region through a partnership between the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef), Plan International, and Australian government support. Plan International Philippines Country Director Ana Maria Locsin said during the launching held in this city that it is important that young people, particularly women in their puberty stage, have a support system. 'Oky is for everyone who may need a friend to help us be a better parent, teacher, sister, brother, and supporter for the girls around us,' she said. Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim in his message said that the launching of the app is a manifestation of the regional government's effort in valuing the delicate and significant role of women in nation-building as well as their dedication to sustaining peace in the region. 'The Oky Menstrual Tracker App is very timely and significant as we continue to eliminate the risk factors that hinder our young girls and women from attaining the quality of life they want and deserve,' Ebrahim said. 'This is one of the many manifestations of the progress that we all want,' he added. In a joint press release today, it said that the launch of the Oky Philippines app in BARMM marks the start of a wider initiative in the country to make the innovative digital solution accessible to all Filipino girls and women and provide them with girl-friendly information on menstruation, puberty, and reproductive health. The mobile application is now available for download from Google Play Store as 'Oky Philippines.'
